Spectator information for the Boston Marathon

Tuesday

The Boston Athletic Association will present the 123rd running of the Boston Marathon on Patriots Day, Monday, April 15.

For spectators, the BAA has provided the following information:

SPECTATOR INFORMATION

• There is ample space every mile from Hopkinton to Boston for fans to gather and cheer on your journey to Boylston Street.

• Some of the most famous spots are the Wellesley Scream Tunnel just before halfway; Heartbreak Hill in Newton around Boston College; and the final stretch on Boylston Street before the finish.

• Here are three tips for spectators to get the most out of their viewing experience:

o Sign up for AT&T Athlete Alerts for runners you want to spot on the course.

o Plan ahead where to go. The MBTA is a good way to get around the course and is your best bet for seeing runners at multiple spots.

The MBTA is offering a special $15 Marathon Pass valid for all-day, unlimited travel on all Commuter Rail lines through all zones. This special $15 Marathon Pass is available for purchase through April 15 on the mTicket app and Wednesday, April 10, through April 15 from ticket offices at North, South and Back Bay stations. The $15 Marathon Pass is also available aboard trains via cash or credit card on April 15 only.

CharlieCards preloaded with $5 roundtrip subway fare will also be available for purchase by credit or debit card only from Transit Ambassadors at Alewife, Back Bay, Braintree, Fenway, Quincy Adams, or Riverside Stations on April 15. Customers traveling around Boston on Marathon Monday are also encouraged to purchase a $12 1-Day Link pass valid for unlimited subway and bus travel, which are available from any station fare vending machine and valid for 24 hours after purchase.

To find the best Marathon viewing location on the T, customers are encouraged to visit the MBTA’s Boston Marathon Guide, which highlights MBTA stations closest to the Marathon route and includes helpful information on purchasing fares, parking and more.

Due to safety concerns, Copley Station is closed for the entire day on April 15. Customers are instead encouraged to use Arlington Station (serving all Green Line branches), Prudential Station (Green Line E branch), Hynes Convention Center Station (Green Line B, C and D branches), or Back Bay Station on the Orange Line. From approximately 10 a.m.-6 p.m., above-ground Green Line stops at South Street (B branch), Kent Street (C branch), and St. Mary’s Street (C branch) will be closed.

The Red, Orange, Blue, and Silver Lines will operate a regular weekday schedule with rush-hour levels of service before and after the race with no scheduled station closures.

Buses and trackless trolleys will operate a regular weekday schedule on April 15, though some bus routes will be detoured to accommodate the Marathon and other festivities. Pre-marathon events are also scheduled the weekend prior, resulting in route adjustments to various bus routes in and around Copley Square. Customers are encouraged to subscribe to T-Alerts and check the MBTA website for more information on these changes.

All commuter rail lines will operate a regular weekday schedule with additional trains on the Framingham/Worcester Line to support additional crowds.

All commuter boat and ferry service as well as The RIDE service will operate a regular weekday schedule.

Customers planning to park in an MBTA garage or lot should allow additional travel time and note that some garages and lots may fill very quickly due to heavy parking demand. Real-time parking capacity information for Alewife, Beverly, Braintree, Route 128, Salem, Quincy Adams, Wonderland and Woodland continues to be tweeted from @MBTA_Parking.

Bicycles are prohibited onboard all MBTA vehicles (including folding bicycles) for the entire day on April 15. Backpacks, coolers, cans, bottles and large items are not permitted at the Marathon.

For the most up-to-date service information, please see T-Alerts, visit mbta.com/marathon, and follow the T on Twitter @MBTA and @MBTA_CR.

o Know your runner’s start wave, corral and bib number.

Start times from Hopkinton — lead men’s and women’s wheelchair between 9 and 9:50 a.m.; lead women at 9:30 p.m., lead men at 10 a.m.

SPECTATOR RULES

• Spectators intending on watching the Boston Marathon from anywhere along the 26.2-mile course should expect a significant presence of uniformed and plain clothed police officers.

• Spectators entering official BAA event venues, approaching viewing areas on the course, or in viewing areas on the course, may be asked to pass through security checkpoints, and law enforcement officers or contracted private security personnel may ask to inspect bags and other items being carried.

• Spectators along the course, or within any official BAA venue, are discouraged from possessing any of the items listed below.

• Possession of any of these items may result in delays when passing through security checkpoints and enhanced screening:

o Weapons or items of any kind that may be used as weapons, including firearms, knives, mace, etc.

o Costumes covering the face or any non-form fitting, bulky outfits extending beyond the perimeter of the body.

o Props (including sporting equipment and military and fire gear).

o In addition, public safety officials are asking the public to assist in creating a No-Drone Zone along the entire course at this year’s Boston Marathon. The use of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) anywhere in the area of the course, including above runners and spectators, is strongly discouraged.